rumour
Ah, the video game rumour mill! There’s none better when it comes to excited fans and the thirst for knowledge.
With the current generation of consoles now starting to show their age and high-end PC users increasingly looking back as if to say “What the hell are you guys still doing back there?” news and rumour of the next wave of video game consoles is slowly heating up. While some gaming pundits maintain that we’re still years away from getting new Sony and Microsoft toys, others are, with a healthy dollop of optimism, hoping to see next-gen console gaming before the end of 2014.
While there are still next to no confirmed crumbs of information about the next crop of machines for gamers to stuff into their hungry mouths, Sony Corporation’s president and CEO Kazuo Hirai went on record yesterday to speak about the launch of the company’s new technology, hinting that gamers may have to wait until after Microsoft makes its move for details of the next Playstation.
Those of you fortunate enough to have been introduced to Studio Ghibli’s animated feature films will know that they’re of the highest quality and easily rival Disney’s own productions.
Back in my native UK, comparatively few people have met with Ghibli’s heart-warming animated creations, with some people, in fact, falling into the trap of thinking that anything foreign and “a bit manga” is probably not for them. Thanks to the UK’s relative reluctance to embrace the movies, it was not until I was 15 years old when, one rainy Sunday afternoon, My Neighbor Totoro was shown on cable TV that I first became aware of Hayao Miyazaki’s work. At the time, I had no idea what I was watching, but have been a huge fan ever since.
Over in the studio’s native Japan, however, Studio Ghibli has become something of a national treasure since its establishment in 1985, with the studio’s near-annual releases always eagerly awaited, and usually met with both an abundance of praise and mounds of cash.
For most Japanese, Ghibli characters like My Neighbor Totoro’s Satsuki and Mei, Spirited Away’s Chihiro, or broomstick-riding Kiki from the movie of the same name, form a part of their childhood or are attached to fond memories, perhaps even more-so than Mickey, Donald and pals are toWesterners.
So when one hawk-eyed Twitter user suggested that perhaps certain Ghibli characters have cropped up in more than movie without us realising it, internet users understandably paid attention…
Regular visitors to RocketNews24 will no doubt be aware that McDonald’s Japan has been making the headlines a lot since the beginning of the month. The removal of menus from its counters, worried rumours of the restaurant putting a stop to free cups of water; the fast food chain has received a lot of negative attention.
After tweets on the theme of “McDonald’s next bizarre business move” hit the thousands, tweet-gathering mega blog Togetter has put up a collection of some of the best thoughts and creative ideas from Japan’s internet users, with some little short of laugh-out-loud funny.
So, what do the people of Japan predict for Ronald and pals’ near future? Let’s find out!


Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
Häagen-Dazs releases new Green Tea sandwich in Japan for a limited time
Foreign man arrested for walking on Shinkansen tracks, claims he was on the run from yakuza
Schoolkids learn life skills through shopping field trips at street markets in Kochi Prefecture
Family Mart unveils new Japanese bread that elevates convenience store food to mocchiri levels
Japanese manhole lid raises eyebrows with fertility god symbol that looks like… well, you know
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Japanese expat remembers the words that changed his life when he started working in Australia
Starbucks releases 47 new Frappuccinos in Japan, one for every prefecture
Man breaks into Japanese high school, steals desk to “get taste of the world of Love Live” anime
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
Pokémon lacquerware series expands for Year of the Horse with new handcrafted design[Video]
Tokyo teahouse serves up a sakura matcha dessert you won’t find anywhere else
Totoro Fund line of beautiful artwork and apparel lets you help the real-world Totoro Forest
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japanese manhole lid raises eyebrows with fertility god symbol that looks like… well, you know
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Japanese expat remembers the words that changed his life when he started working in Australia
Starbucks releases 47 new Frappuccinos in Japan, one for every prefecture
Man breaks into Japanese high school, steals desk to “get taste of the world of Love Live” anime
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
The Almost All Lettuce Burger from Dom Dom Burger really lives up to its name
Getting a driver’s license in Japan the hard way: The first driving test a few more times
Famous koi ponds overwhelmed with tourists throwing thousands of coins in them
Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhood
Pikachu and Eevee will give YOU hugs with these awesomely adorable new Pokémon pillows
Manga meat can be yours to eat in the real world with Manga Meat Bone kitchenware【Photos】
Goodbye, Kyoto Animation Studio #1 – Arson-struck studio now completely demolished, cleared away